The Bookworm
by Vgmastr
Summary: A new villain is born in Gotham City. A villain who bases his crimes on famous works of literature.


Batman and it's characters are trademarked by DC Comics.  
  
  
  
It was 10:30 on a Saturday night. Billy Nelson, a freshman at Gotham University, was in his dorm room, writing an essay that was due on Monday. His roommate, John Taylor, suddenly walked in.  
  
"C'mon Billy, that can wait. There's a party right down the hall." In the three months John had known Billy, he'd never seen him attend a single party. In fact, all Billy ever did was study.  
  
"I can't John, this paper is due Monday, and I've still got eight pages to go."  
  
"It's one paper, Billy. You've got all day tomorrow to write it."  
  
"You don't know my father. If I don't bring home straight A's, I'll be in hot water. I can't afford a bad grade on this paper."  
  
"Pamela's there. She asked about you."  
  
"Seriously? What'd she ask?" Pamela was the girl he sat by in Sociology. She was a goddess. They'd made eye contact a few times during class, but he'd always been afraid to talk to her.  
  
"She was wondering where you were. She wants to talk to you."  
  
"Well, maybe I could take a break. After all, I've got all day tomorrow to write this."  
  
"That-a-boy, Billy. Let's go!"  
  
  
  
It was now late Sunday night, and Billy hadn't written anymore of his paper. Pamela wanted to get together, and they had spent the entire day together. It was one of the greatest days of his life, but now his paper was due in mere hours, and he wouldn't have enough time to finish. Billy decided to log onto the Internet, and after a few minutes of searching, he found a paper. It was perfect. It was the right length, and the subject matter was dead on. Billy decided to print it out and hand it in. After all, it was only one paper, and who would know?  
  
  
  
A week later, Billy was approached by his Sociology professor.  
  
"Billy, there's a problem."  
  
"What's wrong, sir?" Billy asked nervously.  
  
"You handed in a paper identical to another student's. After a bit of research, I found the paper on the Internet. I mentioned this to the Dean, and he wants me to tell you that you're both expelled."  
  
"What? Expelled? No! I can't be!"  
  
"I'm sorry Billy, but Gotham University does not condone any plagiarism whatsoever. It's been decided, and it can not be changed."  
  
As the professor walked away, Billy just stood there, shocked.  
  
"This can't be happening. Oh my God, my father. He's going to kill me!"  
  
  
  
"Expelled?! For plagiarism?! What in the hell is wrong with you?!" Billy's father yelled. He was livid.  
  
"I didn't want to do it, but I had no other choice."  
  
"What do you mean you had no other choice?"  
  
"The paper was due in a few hours. I didn't have time to write it, and I couldn't get a zero on it."  
  
"Did you ever think about starting the paper when it was due? Why did you wait until the last minute?"  
  
"I had an exam on Friday to study for. I spent all my time on that."  
  
"What about the weekend?"  
  
"Well, there was this party, and a girl."  
  
"A party? A girl? Damnit Billy, get your priorities straight! Because of one party and a stupid college fling, you're now kicked out of school!"  
  
"I can always enroll in another school."  
  
"Forget it, no good school is going to accept you after this. Everything you worked for, everything I had you work for, it's all down the drain. You're a huge disappointment. Get out."  
  
"What? Get out?"  
  
"Leave now. I don't want to speak to you, I don't want to see you. I don't care where you go, just leave."  
  
"But Dad."  
  
"Just leave, damnit! You're a huge disappointment, Billy. Go!"  
  
Billy knew there was no talking to him. He turned around and exited the house. As he walked down the street, he had no idea what to do, where to go. However, he more he walked, the more angry he became. At his father, at the school, at John. His life is ruined because of one stupid decision. No one will listen to him. No one will let him try to explain. No one gives a damn about him. The whole world can go to hell. Just then, Billy passed by Gotham City Library. With nowhere else to go, he stopped and decided to walk in. Billy grabbed a number of books and just sat down to read. He read and studied the books. He was there hours, until closing time. It was then, with nowhere else to go, he decided to pay a visit to his old pal John.  
  
  
  
Billy snuck back into the dorms at Gotham University. He went back to his old dorm room, where he found John, studying.  
  
"Hello, John."  
  
"Billy? What are you doing here?"  
  
"My father kicked me out, I have nowhere else to go."  
  
"But Billy, you can't stay here. You've been expelled, I could get into trouble."  
  
"So that's how it is, John? You got me expelled. You ruined my life. Now you can't help me?"  
  
"Billy, I didn't get you expelled. I got you to go the party. But I didn't make you spend all of Sunday with Pamela. And I didn't make you hand in a plagiarized paper."  
  
"John, Did you ever read 'Julius Caesar'?"  
  
"Yeah, I read it in high school, why are you asking this now?"  
  
"Do you remember how Julius Caesar was killed?"  
  
"Yeah, he was stabbed by his friends."  
  
"Exactly, turned on and killed by his friends. Kind of like what you did to me."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You ruined my life, and now, when I need help, you don't care. You just want me to leave."  
  
"Look, I'm sorry you're expelled, but it's not my fault. I didn't turn on you."  
  
"Maybe you're right. You didn't kill me. In fact, I think I had it backwards."  
  
"What? Backwards?"  
  
Suddenly, Billy pulled out the pocketknife he kept in pocket.  
  
"Billy?! What are you doing?!"  
  
Billy leapt at John and began stabbing him with the knife. He didn't stop until John stopped moving.  
  
"It looks like I did have it backwards, John. It was me that killed you."  
  
Billy put his knife away, and left John's dead body lying on the floor of his dorm room. Billy began walking towards the window.  
  
"From now on, Billy Nelson is no more. From this day forward, I will only be known as the Bookworm!"  
  
Billy opened the window and leapt into the tree next to it. He climbed down and ran into the dark Gotham night.  
  
  
  
To be continued. 


End file.
